Senior Transportation Vermont: E&D Programs, Transit Options, and How to Arrange Rides

Your parent stopped driving six months ago. Now every doctor's appointment, pharmacy trip, and grocery run depends on you, a neighbor, or luck. In a rural state like Vermont — roughly 9,000 square miles with limited public transit — losing the ability to drive can shrink a senior's world to the walls of their home within weeks.

Vermont has a statewide transportation network specifically for seniors and people with disabilities. It's underutilized because most families don't know it exists.

The E&D Transportation Program

The Elders and Persons with Disabilities (E&D) Transportation Program is the backbone of senior transit in Vermont. Funded through the Federal Transit Administration and administered by VTrans (the Vermont Agency of Transportation), it provides door-to-door rides for medical appointments, shopping, social activities, and adult day programs.

Eligibility: Age 60 or older, or living with an ADA-defined disability. There is no income test.

How it works: Rides are provided through a network of regional transit providers using a mix of lift-equipped vans, sedans, and volunteer drivers. Most trips require advance scheduling; ask the regional provider how much notice it needs.

Cost: Most E&D rides are free or request a small voluntary donation. Some regional providers charge nominal fares for non-medical trips.

Regional Transit Providers

Vermont's E&D rides are delivered by regional providers, each covering a defined geographic area:

Green Mountain Transit (GMT) — serves Central and Northwest Vermont, including Washington, Chittenden, Lamoille, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties. GMT operates fixed-route buses in the Burlington metro area and demand-responsive paratransit (ADA complementary service) across its entire region.

Rural Community Transportation (RCT) — covers the Northeast Kingdom (Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties). RCT is critical for one of the most rural and underserved areas of the state, providing volunteer driver networks and scheduled van service.

Special Services Transportation Agency (SSTA) — focuses on Chittenden County, offering specialized paratransit and door-to-door service for people with disabilities and older adults who can't use fixed-route transit.

Stagecoach Transportation Services — serves Orange and northern Windsor counties with deviated fixed routes and demand-responsive service.

Tri-Valley Transit — covers Addison and Rutland counties with a combination of fixed routes, shopping shuttles, and dial-a-ride service.

The Current (formerly Southeast Vermont Transit) — serves Windham and southern Windsor counties.

How to Arrange a Ride

The simplest starting point is calling your parent's regional transit provider directly. Alternatively:

• Vermont 211 (dial 2-1-1) — the statewide information line can connect you to the right transit provider based on your parent's address
• Senior HelpLine (1-800-642-5119) — your regional AAA can help identify available transit options and assist with scheduling
• Your parent's AAA case manager — if your parent is enrolled in Choices for Care or Moderate Needs services, their case manager can coordinate transportation as part of the care plan

For recurring trips (weekly dialysis, regular therapy appointments), most providers will set up a standing schedule so you don't need to call each time.

Volunteer Driver Programs

Several Vermont communities operate volunteer driver networks that supplement the formal transit system. Volunteers use their own vehicles to provide door-to-door rides, often with more flexibility in scheduling and routing than the van services.

These programs are coordinated through the regional AAAs and transit agencies. Your parent's AAA can tell you whether a volunteer driver program operates in their area and how to request rides.

When Transportation Isn't Enough

If your parent's transportation needs are driven by medical appointments they can no longer manage alone — not just getting there but navigating the visit, communicating with doctors, and tracking follow-up instructions — they may benefit from a broader care coordination model.

Our Vermont Home Care Navigator covers transportation alongside the full aging-in-place framework, including care coordination through SASH, adult day programs that include transportation, and the Choices for Care services that wrap around daily living needs.

See more Vermont guides →